Nightmare
by Briar Rose the Awoken Maiden
Summary: Father/son sweet one shot. This happens a few weeks after the end of book 4, Will has a Nightmare waking his mentor from his slumber.


_**Nightmare**_

 **Father/son sweet one shot.**

 **This happens a few weeks after the end of book 4. Inspired by the cover art done by megu—chan.**

 **I do not own Ranger's Apprentice, John Flanagan does. I also do not own the cover art.**

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It was around midnight, when the cry awoke him. Halt, moving faster than his Ranger training should have allowed him but this time it was different. The torment in that cry that pulled at his heart, even though some called him cold and heartless in fact it was a long running joke among his friends, the ones who knew him best, that he may act like a cold-hearted bastard but mostly he was just a big old softie.

He rushed into his apprentice's room and looked around searching for danger but all he saw was the young boy sitting on his bed curled up in the corner tears running down his face. Halt walked over with a small frown.

Now if it were at any other point in time, Will, would have been able to see the worry behind the frown but the nightmare had shaken him badly and so he flinched seeing it and looked down. "Sorry for waking you" Will said not seeing the shock work its way into Halt's eyes at the fear he saw in the boy. Halt's protectiveness over his apprentices is legendary; in fact, he recently got himself banished for a year for the very apprentice in front of him. Therefore, to see the boy that he has come to think of as his own child flinch away like that struck him; it was as if one of his own arrows had hit him square in the chest. Halt quickly put down the Saxe that he was holding and sat down on the bed next to the terrified boy and pulled him into a hug. It was uncommon for Halt to show emotions aside from anger. Even those closest to him rarely saw anything other than snark, sarcasm, friendly jibes and sometimes a small chuckle or raised eyebrow. That was the standard for Halt, only one person really saw through it and she was as close-lipped as he was.

However, in times like this his gruff exterior fell away and he knew he needed to be compassionate just like after the boar hunt and when Will missed the shot and Tug and Halt needed to save him… right before he was sent to Celtica and then captured and enslaved. Halt sighed softly as Will sobbed his body was tense but shaking like a leaf. "What happened, Will?" Halt asked softly trying not to scare him again.

"It was just a nightmare…" Will muttered managing not to stutter. Willpower, the play on his name was not lost on him. As, unknown to Will, Baron Arald had thought a few years before hand. Halt shook his head and held the boy tighter. "What about?" He asked keeping his voice soft and gentle but Will shook his head he felt stupid and childish now that he was calming down. "Will, tell me" Halt orders noticing the shaking has stopped even if the tears have not. Will took a deep breath realising that his mentor would not let this go, no matter how many time Will asked him too. "I was back in the Baron's office during the Choosing."

He started. _'It was odd_ ' Halt thought _'after the trauma he went through in Skandia people would think it would be that experience that haunted his nightmares'_

He snapped out of those thoughts as Will started talking again "They were telling me things like you are not wanted you are not needed you are too small to do anything useful. Then everyone was laughing at me as I tried to defend myself" Halt sucked in a breath and held the boy closer "all my friends, the other craftmasters, everyone they called me weak and useless a silly little boy playing dress up" Halt had heard enough

"Will look at me, please" He says the tone gentle but there was the unmistakeable tone of an order there. Will does asks and Halt gently wipes away Will's tears and picks up the bronze oak leaf pendant from Will's bedside table placing the chain around his neck Halt says softly "Will, you are one of the bravest people I know. You are far from useless in fact, you saved my life, remember? Not only that you are smart and quick on your feet; you are a quick learner even if you do not like what you are studying." Will smiled a little at that 'good' Halt thought and continued, "You have accomplished so much, much more than most grown men ever will in their entire lives and you haven't even finished your apprenticeship. You are already a great Ranger and you will continue to get better as you grow up and learn." Halt taps the bronze oak leaf and smiles "You earned the right to wear this and no matter how many people scoff or laugh at you I want you to remember that." Will nods and smiles, the nightmare would still haunt him for a while but he would remember his mentor's words…

'Halt really has become like a father to me' Will, thought warmly as he hugged the man tightly "Thank you, Halt. Goodnight"

"Always, Will" Halt returned the hug and then started to get up. Will pulled away and smiled up at Halt, his eyes still puffy from crying and haunted with that nightmare but still held that warmth that he always had that wonder and curiosity the humour everything that Halt loved about the boy. "Night son…" He says softly as he leaves the room Seeing Will brighten even more from the corner of his eye.

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Halt sat on his bed and look out the window "Daniel would be proud of you, Will, your mother too… someday I hope I can muster up even half of the courage your family have and tell you the whole story behind how you came to be at Redmont ward." Halt looked down and sighed softly "I just hope you won't hate me when I do…" Halt lays down closing his eyes and like that, everyone in the cabin was fast asleep once more.

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 **Yeah I know not exactly in character but I tried my best and I wanted to write a fluffy father/son one shot for Will and Halt.**

 **Constructive criticism welcome, I shall be ignoring plain hate on principle.**

 **Purple Burple (Guest): Thank you!**

 **limerith (Guest): that's what I was going for :)**

 **Giddy Girl (Guest): Thank you for the advice and the positive comments!**

 **MewgirlAnna Out!**


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